Access: Drive east on Colo. 52 to Hudson. Continue four miles; turn south on Road 53; follow signs for three miles to the sanctuary. A map and additional information are available at WildAnimalSanctuary.org.

Chloe and Jake, black leopard infants, were found in an air-conditioning duct when "Tiger Rescue" in California was shut down for animal abuse.

Aslyn, a serval cat wedding gift, became jealous and dangerous when a human baby arrived.

Eight African lions were kept in a 5-foot-by-8-foot steel and concrete cage in Bolivia until the government closed the circus. Campeon, one of the male lions, suffered permanent stunting of his legs.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary near Keenesburg has rescued and rehabilitated these creatures and hundreds more. Some animals were confiscated by government agencies from abusive or illegal facilities. Others were kept as exotic pets until they became a problem.

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It's illegal to keep such pets in most states, but 4,000 tigers are kept as pets in Texas alone -- more tigers than exist in the wild throughout the world, according to the sanctuary's brochure.

Pat Craig founded the nonprofit sanctuary in 1980 at his family farm outside Boulder. He now directs a 720-acre enclave about 50 miles east of Boulder where more than 300 large carnivores plus many smaller creatures roam and romp in large habitat areas.

An elevated walkway extends above the enclosures, allowing intimate views of the animals while protecting them from stress. The walkway is strong enough to support the weight of 1,000 elephants, so you are unlikely to tumble into the enclosures.

Your wildlife walk begins with a brief orientation at the sanctuary's south entrance. It was hard to leave the first compound where we watched purring African servals delicately and affectionately "whiskering" each other's faces. As we walked up the ramp, we marveled at tigers snoozing and playing below us. In summer, pools and waterfalls enhance their playground.

Newly arrived animals are kept in receiving areas, like the tiger roundhouse. After they become socialized, they are released into species-specific habitats where black bears, grizzlies, lions and wolves play on "jungle gyms" and other features. Smaller enclosures house foxes, bobcats, lynx and similar-sized animals, and distant pastures contain alpacas and a camel.

All along the walkway, signs tell the stories of the animals -- most of them with happy endings. Campeon, for instance, is accepted by his pride and nuzzled by his sisters in spite of his misshapen body.

On reaching the north end of the walkway, retrace your route. On your return, you're likely to see different behaviors or an animal emerging from a den where it had been invisible before. Observation decks contain chairs and tables where you can enjoy a picnic while listening to wolves howl and lions roar.

Although we went to the sanctuary to see exotic wild animals, we were also enthralled by native hawks wheeling in the sky above us. We watched rough-legged and ferruginous hawks and northern harriers -- all declining species -- as well as red-tailed hawks and kestrels.

In winter, the bears are hibernating and the landscape is a bit bleak, but crowds are sparse. We'll come again in spring when the pools are filled with water and the grass is green.

Ruth Carol and Glenn Cushman are the authors of "Boulder Hiking Trails," published by Graphic Arts Books.

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